本論文從詞彙語義的角度探討二語英語中的低被動化現象。本文將就常見的低被動化英語動詞，以動詞語義為基礎，進行類型劃分及解析。通過審視一個香港學習者語料庫中的低被動化結構，本文將確定二語英語中低被動化結構的性質以及分佈情況。基於一組因果及物性的語義特徵，語料庫中經常被學習者低被動化的動詞，將劃分為四類型：一）改變位置動詞，二）三方動詞，三）動態效應動詞，及四）非施事動詞；四主類型再劃分為九次類型。本論文將以語義特徵，例如力傳遞、因果關係和結束點，詳細解析每個低被動化動詞。這項就二語英語中低被動化動詞的類型劃分，不單能夠從語義的角度解析低被動化現象，亦可以用作分析其他與語態有關的二語現象，如泛被動化，以及應用於語言教學。 / This dissertation is a lexical semantic study of underpassivized verbs in L2 English. By adopting a verb-oriented and meaning-based approach to underpassivization, this study produces a lexical semantic classification and analysis of frequently underpassivized verbs. A Hong Kong learner corpus is examined in order to determine the nature and extent of underpassivized constructions in L2 English. Based on a set of semantic features of cause-effect transitivity, underpassivization-prone verbs in the corpus are classified into four types, namely 1) Change of position verbs, 2) Tripartite verbs, 3) Dynamic effect verbs and 4) Non-agentive verbs. A total of nine sub-types are identified, and each verb is analyzed according to semantic features such as force transmission, causation, affectedness and telicity. The typology not only provides a lexical semantic account of L2 underpassivization but can also be applied to analyze other voice-related L2 phenomena such as overpassivization and to inform pedagogical practices. / The present study is an initial attempt to apply findings from lexical semantics to the description and explanation of learner errors. Previous studies mainly regard L2 underpassivization as a syntactic phenomenon that can be accounted for using transfer, and argue that L2 underpassivization is the result of the transfer of the topic-comment structure in L1s such as Chinese and Japanese to English (Yip 1995). The transfer theory overlooks the role verb meaning plays in voice-related errors, and is limited in its ability to explain the L2 phenomenon fully. This study investigates underpassivization as a lexical semantic phenomenon, drawing from previous works on proto-roles (Dowty 1991), event structure (Croft 1994) and transitivity (Hopper & Thompson 1980; Tsunoda 1985), and following the tradition in lexical semantics of analyzing verb meaning based on argument alternations (Pinker 1989; Levin 1993). It is believed that when learners underpassivize verbs, they are detransitivizing and decausativizing an originally transitive event. Using the features of cause-effect transitivity, the study shows that reduced transitivity will cause problems for learners in their construal of the event’s cause-effect relation and hence their allocation of thematic roles in the verb’s argument structure, resulting in underpassivization. It is hoped that by focusing on argument structure and event dynamics, this study can offer insights into the impact of verb meaning in the construal of transitivity and the use and misuse of grammatical voice. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wong, Suzanne Shu-Shan. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 225-235). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Wong, Suzanne Shu-Shan.

by Jihua Zhou. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-115). / ACKNOWLEDGMENT --- p.i / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Aims and Scope --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Significance --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- The Organization of the Study --- p.4 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- APPROACHES TO THE PASSIVE： LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS AND SOME ACQUISITION ISSUES --- p.5 / Chapter 2.0 --- Introduction --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Approaches to the Analysis of the Sentential Passive --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The Syntactic Structures and the Aspects Approach --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- The Lexical Approach --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- The Modular Approach --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Semantic Constraints On Theta-Role Assignment in the Sentential Passive --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Analyses of the Nominal Passive --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- Passive Related Structures --- the Ergative and the Middle --- p.19 / Chapter 2.4 --- Empirical Studies on the Passive Acquisition --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Studies on L1 acquisition --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4.1.1 --- Maratsos et al. (1985) --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4.1.2 --- Pinker et al. (1987) --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4.1.3 --- Gordon and Chafetz (1990) --- p.29 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Studies on L2 passive acquisition --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4.2.1 --- Zhou (1989) --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4.2.2 --- Zobl (1989) --- p.32 / Chapter 2.5 --- Acquisition Issues --- p.34 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURE --- p.39 / Chapter 3.0 --- Introduction --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research Hypotheses --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2 --- Subjects --- p.43 / Chapter 3.3 --- Test Design --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Test1 --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Test2 --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Test3 --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Test4 --- p.50 / Chapter 3.4 --- Test Procedure and Test Scoring --- p.51 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- RESULTS --- p.54 / Chapter 4.1 --- Results of Test1 --- p.55 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Learners' Sensitivity to the Conditions for NP-Movement Is Relatively Low --- p.57 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Context-dependence of Learners' Sensitivity to the Requirements of Case Theory --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Learners' Sensitivity to NP-Movement in Sentences with or without the by-phrase --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1.4. --- Learners' Sensitivity to NP-Movement is Related to the Actionality of the Verb --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2 --- Results of Test2 --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- The Interpretation of Thematic Roles --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- The Acceptability of Thematic Role Pairs Violating THC --- p.71 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- The Thematic Interpretation of the Subject --- p.73 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results of Test3 --- p.76 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Lower Sensitivity to NP-Movement in Nominal Passives --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Learners' Performance on Some Other Aspects of the Nominal Passive --- p.80 / Chapter 4.4 --- Results of Test4 --- p.83 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.90 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- DISCUSSION --- p.92 / Chapter 5.1 --- The Availability of UG Principles in the Acquisition of the Passive Structure --- p.92 / Chapter 5. 2 --- Affectedness Constraint Posing a Very Difficult Learning Problem --- p.98 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Passive Related Structures and Learnability Issues --- p.101 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- CONCLUSION --- p.107 / REFERENCES --- p.112 / APPENDICES --- p.116

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of English

This dissertation has two main purposes: (a) to provide a contrastive analysis and theoretical background of the passive in English and Korean; (b) to investigate how Korean learners of English use the English passive in terms of forms, meanings, and functions.One major claim in this dissertation is that the passive is best accounted for by the notion of role prominence in both English and Korean. In addition, a significant difference is revealed in emotional (affective) functions of the passive in English and Korean, showing that the emotional function prevails in Korean far more than in English.After the discussion of theoretical background, Korean learners' actual use of the English passive is analyzed. The specific analysis of grammatical errors shows that Korean learners make local errors (errors significantly inhibiting communication) more than global errors (errors not significantly inhibiting communication). Pragmatic errors are divided largely into discourse functional errors (violation of role prominence, abrupt topic shift, and violation of defocusing) and affective functional errors. The results show that affective functional errors outnumber discourse functional errors. These results are accounted for in terms of not only language transfer and but also a socio-cultural factor, prestige of a passive sentence with respect to an active sentence. Of particular interest is the existence of a hierarchy of acceptability in pragmatic errors. Analysis of medio-passive errors suggests that the native language forms greatly affect the learners' target language forms.This dissertation plays particular attention to the pragmatic aspects of the passive, both theoretical and practical. It is argued that the learners' use of the passive in accordance with pragmatic principles will enhance cohesive writing, facilitating communication.Generally speaking, this dissertation contributes to several important areas of study in second language acquisition, including error analysis and contrastive analysis in terms of grammar and pragmatics. A major significance of this dissertation is its demonstration of the importance of pragmatics in understanding the acqusition of grammar. / Department of English

This thesis reports on the use of active and passive voice in the workplace and classroom through analysis of surveys completed by 37 employees and 66 students. The surveys offered six categories of business writing with ten sets of two sentences each, written in active and passive voice. Participants selected one sentence from each set and gave a reason for each selection. The participants preferred active over passive 47 to 46 percent of opportunities, but they preferred mixed voice over both, 49 percent. The participants preferred active only for memos to supervisors; in the other five categories they preferred passive or mixed voice. Both males and females preferred mixed voice, and age appeared to influence the choices. They cited context as the most common reason for using passive.